Kim Zmeskal
Houston, Texas, USA |Row 4 title = Years on National Team |Row 4 info = 1989-1992, 1998-1999 |Row 5 title = Club |Row 5 info = Karolyi's Gymnastics, Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, Texas Dreams Gymnastics (coach) |Row 6 title = Coach(es) |Row 6 info = Bela & Marta Karolyi, Mary Lee Tracy |Row 7 title = Current status |Row 7 info = Retired |Row 8 title = Twitter |Row 8 info = @KimZmeskal}}Kimberly Lynn "Kim" Zmeskal Burdette (born February 6, 1976) is a retired American gymnast and a former National and World gymnastics champion in the early 1990s. Early Life and Training Zmeskal was born in Houston, Texas. From a young age, Zmeskal trained with coaching great Béla Károlyi, who had bought a run-down gym in Zmeskal's Houston, Texas neighborhood. This gave Zmeskal the opportunity to observe and interact with her heroine, Mary Lou Retton. In 1989, at the age of 13, Zmeskal became the U.S. Junior National Champion. She also took first place in the American Classic, the Swiss Cup Mixed Pairs (with Lance Ringnald), and the Arthur Gander Memorial. Zmeskal went on to become a three-time consecutive U.S. National Champion. In international events, she began a rivalry with the Soviet Union's Svetlana Boginskaya. 1992 Barcelona Olympics At the World Championships in 1991 in Indianapolis, the team silver medal was a first for the Americans, and Zmeskal became the first American to achieve the World All-Around gold medal. So, Americans had high hopes for Zmeskal and the U.S. team heading the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, with Zmeskal earning the cover of both Time and Newsweek magazines before the Games. In the U.S. National Championships and Olympic Trials, Zmeskal battled an emerging Shannon Miller, with Miller defeating Zmeskal at the Trials. Zmeskal disappointed at the Games, falling off the balance beam during her compulsory routine on the first night of competition. Although she would rebound with performances on the floor, vault, and bars, Zmeskal was in 32nd place after the compulsories and 5th on the American team. She would further rebound with impressive scores of 9.912 on beam, 9.95 on vault, 9.9 on uneven bars, and a 9.925 on floor during the finals of the team competition, moving Zmeskal into 12th place and into the all-around competition by finishing third among the American women. Her combined score of 39.687 for the night was the highest of any competitor. Although earning enough points to compete in the all-around competition, Zmeskal would again falter during her first event, the floor exercise, stepping out of bounds. It would later be revealed that Zmeskal was suffering from a stress fracture in her ankle before the Olympics began. Comeback and Retirement Any dreams for a comeback to compete in the 1996 Olympic Games would be dashed due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee suffered during a floor exercise. In 1998, Zmeskal returned to competition with a decent showing at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis. By 1999, she was even considered a possibility for the 2000 Olympics team and represented the U.S. internationally. However, a torn Achilles tendon on a double tuck on floor ended her career that year. Post-Retirement Zmeskal and her husband Chris Burdette now work as coaches at their own gym, Texas Dreams Gymnastics. The gym has seen many of the country's top elite gymnasts including Chelsea Davis, Bailie Key, Kennedy Baker, and Nica Hults. Medal Count Floor Music 1991 - "Hooked on Swing" by Larry Elgart & His Manhatten Swing Orchestra 1992 - "Rock Around the Clock" 1998 - "Salome/Feuerfest" by Andre Rieu Category:American gymnast Category:Karolyi's Gymnastics Category:1992 Olympian Category:World All-Around Gold Medalist Category:American Cup Champion Category:Retired from elite Category:World Floor Exercise Gold Medalist Category:US National All-Around Champion Category:Coach